I cut up a bunch of 1.5" squares. Many people are using software and colour swatches, which is very techy and cool but I am having more fun doing this hands on.

I wish I knew if there was a right way to get the randomized pixel-like, sun shattered look. My approach is to make sure I include at least one or more of the "colours" - blue, aqua or gold. Then I just pull out other squares in the "neutral" shades, and put them down on the table, quickly arranging as I go and trying to use mostly different shades. I give myself about 10 seconds to change anything that bugs me. Then I sew.

I sew quickly because I am more of a controlling, logic type of person than a creative, artsy person and I fear that with any time at all I will start arranging these into some kind of discernable pattern - my math brain really wants to do that.

Here are a couple completed coasters I made last week. These have already been given away.

Here are the 8 I sent my partner in the swap. Each has a different colour layout, and I find I like every single one. I am coming to the conclusion that my few "rules" seems to lead to a result that pleases me all the time. It is also interesting to notice how even slight differences in the light actually change the colours, although they continue to work well together.

This is three of the small 16 patch units sewn together. Next, I am going to try to lay out this many squares before I sew them together. I want to see whether the grouping I end up with it is still reasonably random and if I like it.

I have lots to learn about colour and this palette is so much fun to play with. I have some pillows and placemats and coasters and at least one wall quilt (click here to see the mini quilt I made for the swap) to make for me from it, I think. And I have some coasters to make for a friend in a private swap. I am still not sure I want a whole large quilt, but who knows.

I hope you are enjoying the weekend, I am hoping to do little but sew.

ps. I have linked this post up to {Sew} Modern Monday. I hope you have a chance to visit the wonderful projects over there.

This is like, the 23rd time I have tried to comment, and my comment keeps getting erased. I really like your post, but I'm not going to try 24 times....

So, I see your first photo and I think, 'OMG, all those squares, that is awesome!' then I read that they are 1.5" and I think 'OMG, she is insane! those are so tiny! how can she even see them?' I'm thinking my eyes are way worse than yours, I like a big honking 2.5". This I see your sweet little coasters, and I think 'Oh, those are luscious, she did so well with the tiny'.

Then I went and drank wine from the stress of trying to get this to post.~Mary

I have a class that I teach - it's a one block quilt that gives good cutting practice & is brill for showing the effects of placing colour values in different places - my sample palette on the handoput I use is pretty much yours, inspired by a Caribbean beach I tell them.........it works so well. I find it interesting to see how small your squares are - if you hadn't said we would never guess, you can fool about with scale in pics can't you?